


Chocolate

by Featherfire



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 11:07:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10898076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Featherfire/pseuds/Featherfire
Summary: Happy birthday, Makoto.





	Chocolate

**Author's Note:**

> Sort of a sequel to Home 2, only not really. Same timeline, though.

He has a report due in two days, and he hasn't even started.

Now it is a mad scramble to gather research and try and form his messy, scribbled notes into something coherent before the deadline. He is a good, hardworking student and could probably be granted an extension, but there was no reason for one. That would be admitting failure!

So he calls Haru and tells him he's going to be late, not to wait up. Haru has always been a morning person, and he's usually in bed by ten; with his rigorous training shedule, these days sometimes he's in bed as early as eight.

"Fine," Haru says, in the same tone in which he says everything, betraying no emotion. "Don't stay out too late. You have your early class tomorrow."

Makoto smiles. "I know. I won't," he promises.

Still, it's nearly eleven by the time he finally stumbles home from the library. He has a good start on the essay, and enough material to carry him through to the end of the paper, but he is exhausted. All he wants to do is crawl in bed and snuggle against Haru until Haru's internal clock wakes him up at six.

He enters the darkened apartment as quietly as he can. The front door squeaks if closed too quickly, so he closes it inch by inch to prevent making any noise. He slips off his shoes, scarf and jacket, and takes great care in placing his backpack by the table to avoid the heavy thunk of his books.

There is a note on the fridge, held in place by a souvenir magnet from Australia.

_Look in the fridge._  
Don't eat the whole thing in one sitting.  
Happy birthday.  
I love you. 

Makoto's heart clenches, and tears well in his eyes. When he opens the fridge and sees the cake, the tears begin to slide down his cheeks. "Haru," he whispers. He's had plenty of birthday wishes today, and even some invitations to go out, but he declined them all. All he wanted for his birthday was to be at home with Haru.

The cake is chocolate, decorated with an artful zigzag of more chocolate, dark and white. He knows from the glossy finish that the drizzle will give a pleasant crunch when he bites into it. There is little sign, made of a cookie and propped up by strawberries, that reads _Happy Birthday Makoto_ in English.

He knows Haru has made every bit of it with his own talented hands.

Makoto puts it back in the fridge, heart aching. He opens the bedroom door quietly, and gazes at the Haru-shaped lump under the covers with tears still spilling down his face. He bites his lip to keep from making any noise, and sniffles as quietly as he can as he crosses toward the bed. He kneels down beside the futon, and lifts the covers so he can slide into bed. He wraps one arm around Haru's waist and pulls him close, breathing in the scent of chlorine, soap and grilled mackerel that is so familiar, so Haru.

Haru grunts at him, shifting a little. "You're wet," he grumbles.

"Sorry," Makoto sniffles, and lifts his head from Haru's neck so he can scrub hastily at his tears with one sleeve.

"Did you find it?"

"Yes. Haru---"

"Did you eat it?"

"No..."

Haru sniffs and nudges at him until Makoto moves away. He sits up halfway and glances at the clock, then gets to his feet and reaches down to grab Makoto's hand and tug him up out of bed.

"Haru, what... you should be asleep..."

"I should, but you woke me up and there's still over half an hour left of your birthday, so come on."

Smiling a little, Makoto lets Haru lead him back to the outer room. He turns on the lights, takes the cake out of the fridge and sets it down on the table. Haru is busy in the cabinets, and Makoto sits down, expecting him to arrive with plates and utensils.

Haru plunks himself down at the table bearing not only plates, forks and his fish-boning knife, but also a lighter and a pack of candles.

"Haru!" Makoto exclaims. Haru just smirks at him and plops the candles in the cake. There are only five of them, striped with primary colors, and he lights them quickly. "Blow them out before the chocolate melts," he orders.

Makoto smiles. He closes his eyes and makes a wish: _That Haru and I will always be together!_ It's silly, but some part of him feels that if he doesn't make the wish, something bad will happen. He's made the same wish, more or less, ever since he was old enough to blow out his own candles. He blows out the candles before Haru can gripe at him again, and smiles.

Haru puts the candles on a saucer and cuts careful slices---his own is much smaller than Makoto's. "Happy birthday," he says in that soft, subdued voice that never fails to melt Makoto's heart, every time Haru speaks.

Makoto beams. "Itadakimasu!" he exclaims---quietly, in deference to their neighbors---and takes a bite of the cake. He sighs in pleasure. Just as he's expected, the chocolate drizzle crunches. It's heavenly. "Oh Haru," he says after swallowing. "It's delicious. Thank you. I'm sorry I came home so late, I---"

"Eat your cake," Haru interrupts. "You still have school in the morning." He sounds cranky, but there's a smile playing around the corners of his lips.

Makoto wants to eat the cake slowly, savor each bite (and then have another piece) but Haru is right, he _does_ have school in the morning, and Haru has early practice. So he finishes the cake and helps Haru clean up. The cake goes back in the fridge. Makoto fully plans to have some for breakfast, but for now all he can think of is getting back into bed with Haru.

He gets ready for bed properly. When he returns, Haru is already back in bed and cocooned in the covers, but Makoto can sense that he's still awake. When Makoto gets in bed, Haru rolls over and presses himself into Makoto's chest. He slides one foot up to rest over Makoto's. He leans up and kisses him, and his mouth tastes like chocolate.

It is 11:59.

"Happy birthday," Haru says again.

As the clock ticks over to 12:00, Makoto smiles. "Yes," he agrees. "It was."


End file.
